I tried the Shark spot cleaner you’ve seen all over social media – this is why I think it’s well worth the hype

For reasons purely based on aesthetics rather than any logic or reasoning, I’ve very stupidly just bought a new cream rug for my house. And while I know it’s autumn and muddy footprints (and paw prints in my case) are a nightmare during the wetter months of the year, I now have the Shark StainForce Cordless Stain-Destroying Spot Cleaner to help me out. And I honestly don’t know what I’d do without it.

Of course, the best carpet cleaners are a must-have for keeping rugs and carpets in prime condition year-round, but the reality is that these appliances are big, bulky and downright awkward to store. And for people like me (who live in small homes with limited storage), buying a giant carpet cleaner just isn’t practical.

That’s where something small and compact like the Shark StainForce comes in very handy. It’s a compact, cordless spot cleaner that’s perfect for grab-and-go cleaning. I’ve been using it for the past three weeks to tackle muddy paw prints on my new rug, as well as new and old stains on my sofa and even on my mattress. This is why I love it.

One of the main differences between a carpet cleaner and a spot cleaner is that a spot cleaner, like the Shark StainForce, isn’t designed for large areas of carpet. But as I have wool carpets that are naturally dirt-repellent, I don’t actually need a full-size carpet cleaner.

Instead, a smaller spot cleaner is perfect for tackling stains on carpets and rugs, as well as cleaning upholstery, and the Shark StainForce is arguably the most convenient one I’ve tested so far.

It’s designed to look (and feel) like one of the best handheld vacuum cleaners, so it's easy to handle and carry around the house, and it comes complete with its very own lightweight cleaning caddy to store the included dual-formula cleaning spray and extra cleaning tools. It also fits perfectly in my cleaning cupboard, so I can just grab it when I need it and pop it back in the cupboard when I’m done.

The cleaning power is pretty impressive, too. Since adding the Shark spot cleaner to my cleaning routine, I’ve tackled muddy paw prints on my cream rug, deep-set stains on my sofa cushions, and sweat stains on my mattress. Thanks to its cordless nature, I’ve even been able to give my car a quick refresh. If I hadn’t already put them away for autumn, I’d definitely use the StainForce to clean my outdoor cushions, too.

But alongside using it on actual stains and marks around my home, I also wanted to see how far I could push the Shark StainForce. So, I made myself a cup of coffee and threw it over a carpet sample I use to test carpet cleaners. (Yep, this really is my job!)

And while one of the biggest stain-removal golden rules is attempting to clean a stain as soon as possible, I left the coffee to seep into the carpet fibres for a whole 24 hours to see how it would cope. As you can see from the slideshow below, you wouldn’t even know that I’d spilt coffee on it by the time I’d finished with it.

Admittedly, it did take quite a lot of cleaning solution (which means you’ll go through a lot of it if you regularly deal with a lot of stains) and a lot of scrubbing on my part, but I was seriously impressed by its cleaning ability.

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However, what I love most about the Shark StainForce is that it’s self-cleaning. And when you’ve finished with it, simply fill the tray in the cleaning caddy with water and run the cleaning cycle. This doesn’t take long at all, and it rids the internal components and debris chamber of any lingering grime before you pour the dirty water down the drain.

You can then pop it back in the cleaning caddy, plug it in to charge, and wait to use it again. It really is as simple as that. Don’t just take my word for it, though. The reviews of the Shark StainForce Spot Cleaner are also extremely positive, with an average star rating of 4.7 stars out of 5 on the Shark website.

One reviewer wrote, ‘Amazingly simple to use. Especially on the first day, we had new carpet laid, and the little one immediately spilt orange juice all over it. Grabbed this and it was soon cleaned up before my wife even knew about it!’

Another raved, ‘I have been recommending this to my family and friends, I am so pleased that I decided to buy this.’

Nevertheless, I will say that it’s well worth keeping the instructions to hand if you’re new to spot cleaning. The Shark StainForce comes with a couple of different cleaning nozzles, and the brand suggests using a slightly different method for both dry and wet messes. So, to ensure you get the most out of it, make sure you have a read.

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Will you be snapping up the StainForce?